Improvement in stuffing-boxes for steam-engines



. UNITED STATES for- Letters Patent of the United States on form, and soas to provide an annular rim, A,

CHARLES T. SLEEPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO GEORGE G. BENEDICT, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STUFFlNG-BOXES FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,892, dated June 12,1877 application filed February To all whom it'may concern Be it knownthat I, CHARLES T. SLEEPER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Stuffing-Boxesfor Steam-Engines, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification, in which e Figure 1 represents a longitudinal centralsection of a stuffing-box embodying my said invention, and Fig. 2represents a cross-section of the same, taken on line m m, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts;

The object of my invention is to improve the stuffing-box for which Imade application the 20th day of March, 1876; and it consists inproviding the laterally movahle cone with an internal flange orshoulder, against which the packing-rings rest; and, also, in combination with the packing-rings, of a double follower, as hereinafter morefully described and claimed. 7 v

In the drawing, A represents a section of the cylinder-head, whichismade in the usual projecting from the'outer end thereofiaround thepiston-rod in the ordinary manner. 0 is the stuffing-box proper, whichis fitted into the rim A and permanently bolted thereto, and in theposition shown in Fig. l. D is the piston-rod,which passes centrallythrough the stuffing-box C. E represents a series of packing-rings,which are made from any suitable soft metal, and are fitted around thepistonrod within the stuffing-box. F is an annular cap, through whichthe piston rod loosely passes, and is screw-threaded externally at itsend adjacent to the stuffing box, and is screwed into an annular flangeon the outer end of the stuffing-box, by which means the stuffing-boxand cap are firmly connected together. G is an annular sleeve fittedinto the chamber of the cap F and around the pistonrod, and is providedwith an internal conical chamber, through which the piston-rod passes,

and into which the packing-rings are forced from the chamber of thestuffing-box. H and H are annular rings or followers, which are fittedinto the chamber of the stufling-box and ,G, and the end of the sleeveresting against the cap is ground to a steam-tight joint, so as to admitof a lateral movement of the sleeve within the cap without leakage ofsteam between the cap and end of the sleeve, the object being to allowthe packing-rings to adjust themselves to the piston-rod should thelatter be ontof line with the stuffing-box.

The packing-rings are made less in diameter than the diameter of thebore of the stuffing-box, for the purpose of admitting of any lateralmovement of the piston-rod without causing the packing-rings to bindagainst the wall of the stuffing-box.

The grossdiameter of the follower H is such as to fill the bore of thestufling-box, and the diameter of the opening in the follower, throughwhich the piston-rod passes, is greater. than the diameter of the rod;and the gross diameter of the follower H is less than the diameter ofthe bore in the stuffing-box, and the opening in the follower, throughwhich the piston-rod passes, is equal to the diameter of the piston-rod,by which means the follower H is allowed to move laterally with thepiston-rod independent of any lateral movement of the follower H, theobject being to prevent any sediment which might accumulate in andescape from the boiler from passing between the packing-rings and wallof the stuffing-box.

The sleeve G is provided, at its end farthest from the stufiing-box,with an internal shoulder, f, against which the packing-rings rest.This'shoulder is curved or formed at an angle to the plane of thepiston-rod, so as to allow the thin edge of the packing to ride up theinclined surface of the shoulder, which admits of a movement of thepacking from the stuffing-box sufficient to keep up the supply ofpacking in the sleeve as the packing is worn away by the friction of thepiston-rod, while at the same time the shoulder prevents the packingfrom being forced from the chamber of the sleeve by the pressure of thesteam against the followers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with the stuffing-boxO and series of packing-rings E, adjusted within the stuffing-box, ofthe sleeve G, having the conical chamber to receive the packin g-ringsas the same are forced from the stuffing-box, and provided with thecurved or anand series of packing-rings E, of the followf ers H H andspring J, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

CHARLES T. SLEEPER.

Witnesses:

N. O. GRIDLEY, N. H. SHEBBURNE.

